Pulp hydrator



Sept. 29, 1936.

H. D. WELLS 2 Sheet I4/rezza a., GRM/nuja.

Sept. 29, 1936. H. D. WELLS 2,055,956

PULP HYDRATOR I AFiled Jan. `17, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www0/Joao Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED ySTATES assessesv PATENT oFFIcE Claims.

The invention aims to provide a new and improved hydrator for paper stock or pulp, by means of which a greatly increased production may be effected, at the same time producing such 5 perfectly treated and gelatinized pulp as to permit the production of stronger and better paper.

In carrying out the above end, intermeshed gear teeth are provided on relatively rotatable members, and the pulp is passed between these members, so that the teeth create high pressure as they mesh, and as they unmesh create suction or vacuum to some extent. The rolling and pressing of the fibre bundles in the pulp tend to separate them into single fibres and moreover the suction or vacuum tends further to produce this result, as well as opening up any of the tube-like fibres to receive the water of hydration. The complete action on the fibres of rolling, vacuum and pressure, gelatinizes them so that stronger and better-paper may be produced,

and greatly increases the production and efflciency of the hydrator. Y

The present invention is an improvement upon the pulp and paper stock hydrator of my Patent 1,897,157 dated February 14, 1933 and aims to make said hydratcr more emcient in operating on certain stock which tends to slide ahead ofA the pinch of the rolling or pressing surfaces in the machine of said patent. In the present inventioi, the provision of intermeshing teeth on said rolling lor pressing members insures that such stock will be acted upon and more effectively treated "to, produce the desired hydration;

The invention` is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and is hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view showing one form of the hydrator.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modified form of construction.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.-

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a still further form of construction.

Fig. v6 is :a detail transverse sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Preferred forms of cnstruction have been shown and will be specically described, with the understanding however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral III denotes an elongated cylindrical casing having a pulp inlet opening II communicating with a pulpconducting elbow I2, said casing also having a pulp outlet I3. A shaft I4 passes longitudinally through the casing I II along the axis of the latter, is mounted in appropriate bearings I5 and extends o through stufng boxes I6, said shaft having a pulley I'I by means of which it may be driven. An impeller I8 is keyed on the shaft I4 near the inlet opening II and operates within the channel of a channeled ring I9 which is secured in the 10 casing I0, at one end of the latter. Between the impeller I8 and the opposite end of the casing, I provide a plurality of sun gears 20 which are keyed to and secured upon the shaft in anyv desired way. Floating planet gears 2| mesh with l5 the sun gears 20 and with annular orbit gears 22 which are secured in the casing in contact with the side wall of the latter. Preferably, each sun gear 20 is surrounded by a plurality of the planet gears 2|, eight planet gears being 20 preferably although not necessarily provided in each plurality.

All of the gears 20, 2| and 22 are provided with y pulp rolling faces 23, said pulp rolling faces being of continuous form and being substantially 25 of the same diameter as the pitch lines4 of the gears, respectively. The pulp is acted upon by these rolling surfaces 23 and by the'intermeshing teeth ofthe gears, with the result that effective hydrationis carried out. The pulp is forced to 30 take a zig-zag course through the hydrator, due

to the provision of outer and inner annular bafiles which are disposed in staggered relation. The baffles 24 are clamped between the orbit gears 22 and extend into spaced relation with the sun 35 gears 20, whereas the baiiles 25 are clamped between certain of ,said sun gears and project radially into spaced relation with said orbit gears 22. The last baille 25 at the discharge end of the machine may well engage a spacing ring 26 which 40 abut; one end wall 21 of said casing,- so that the parts I9, 22, 24 and 26 may be tightly held be# tween said'end wall 2l and the opposite end wall 28 of the easing. The impeller/.18, the sun gears 20 and the bafiles 25 may all/be keyed upon the 45 shaft I4 and the sun gear at the discharge end of the machine may well' abut a collar 29 on said shaft. f

. When shaft I4 isdriven and pulp is admitted through the elbow I2 and opening Il, the impeller 50 I8 assists infeeding-this pulp through the machine, and the bailles 24 and 25 cause said pulp to take azig-zag course. During its travel, it is successively acted upon by the intermeshing teeth and the rolling surfaces of the numerous gears 55 and said teeth and surfaces produce the eifects upon the pulp, hereinbefore set forth. It will be observed on reference to Fig. 2 that the pulp rolling surfaces 23 formed by the cylindrical enlargements or rollers at the ends of the planetary gears 2| form bearing members for the gears; and that such enlargements at least partially overlie the sides of the teeth of said planetary gears to form pockets in which the stock is successively entrapped and extruded therefrom by the action of the entering teeth.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the teeth of the sun gears 20, planet gears 2lL and orbit gears 22-, extend throughout the widths of these gears.` These teeth as well as any of the others herein disclosed, may be of any desired' type such as conventional spur type, helical, herringbone, staggered, etc.

Between certain of the sun gears 20, inner baflles Y 25 are positioned, said baffles being free to rotate upon the shaft |45. These baflies project radially beyond the sun gears 2lia and terminate :in spaced relation with the orbit gears 22. Other. annular baffles 24e are interposed between the baffles 25B and have their outer peripheral edges in close proximity to the planet gears 22a. The inner peripheral edges of these baiiles 24e`are spaced radially from the sun gears 2liEL and are provided with spiders 30 which are free to rotate upon the shaft I4, between some of said sun gears. Longitudinal shafts 3| pass through the baiiies 24'L and 25a and through the planet gears 2l, and the ends of said shafts may be upset as shown at 32, to hold them in place.

In securing the orbit gears 22 within the casing I0, I may well make use of spaced rings 33, and between the casing end wall 2la and the adjacent gear 22, a ring 26 may be used.

In Figs. and 6, most features of construction are the same as in Figs. 1 and 2, but changes are made in the sun gears 20h, t e planet gears 2lb, and the orbit gears 22h. e teeth 34 of the planet gears 2 Ib, are preferably about semi-cylindrical as shown, and the portions of the gear peripheries between said teeth, are concentric with the axes of the gears 2lb, providing pulp rolling surfaces 35. The sun gears 20b and orbit gears 22", are formed with grooves 36 between their teeth 31, shaped to engage the teeth 34 of the planet gears 2lb, and the ends 38 of said teeth.

co-operate with the surfaces 35 of said planet gears, to effectively roll and press the pulp. Similar actions are also performed by the co-acting faces of the teeth 34 and grooves 36.

It will be understood that in each of the three lembodiments illustrated in the drawings, any number of the sets of transversely arranged planetary gearing maybe used. It will also be observed that in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rolling or bearing surfaces 23 maintain the gears in xed center-to-center relation and prop- Y erly spaced and meshed, that function being performed in the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 by the use of a cage composed of the spiders 30 and the bearing shafts 3l, and in the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 by the rolling or bearing surfaces 35 and 3 8.

'through the hydrator.

2. A pulp hydrator comprising an elongated casing having an inlet and an outlet, a driven shaft mounted longitudinally in said casing and disposed co-axially therewith, a plurality of sun gears secured on said shaft, planet gears meshing with said sun gears, orbit gears secured at the casing side wall and meshing with said planet gears, and outer and inner sets of annular bailies for causing the pulp to zig-zag through the hydrator, said outer baiiles being clamped between said orbit gears, said inner baffles being clamped between said sun gears.

3. A pulp hydrator comprising an elongated casing having an inlet and an outlet, a driven shaft mounted longitudinally in said casing and disposed co-axlally therewith, a plurality of sun gears secured on said shaft, planet gears meshing with said sun gears, orbit gears secured at the casing side wall and meshing with said planet gears, annular baiiles rotatable upon said shaft between certain of said sun gears and projecting radially beyond the latter in spaced relation with 'said orbit gears, additional annular bailles between the aforesaid baiiles and having their outer peripheral edges in close proximity to said orbit gears, the inner peripheral edges of said additional bailies being radially spaced from said sun gears and being provided with spiders rotatable on said shaft between certain of said sun gears, and longitudinal shafts passing through all of said baiiles and said planet gears.

4. A pulp hydrator having relatively rotatable members between whiclrthe pulp is fed, said members having intermeshed gear teeth and having co-acting continuous cylindrical pulp rolling surfaces at the ends of their gear teeth, to act upon the pulp, and baiiies to cause a zig-zag flow of the pulp through the hydrator, the diameters fr v HAI'JOIl'aDl DONALD WELLS. 

